Mississippi Rails

Mt. Olive Lumber Co.

36" wood rail converted to standard gauge at Mt Olive

Standard gauge at Arbo

Headquarters: Indianapolis, IN

Mill Location: Mill No. 1- Sheppard Switch (1 mile S of Mt. Olive), MS (Covington County)

Mill No. 2- Arbo, MS (Covington County)

Mill Capacity: 25,000 ft/day

Years of Operation: 1902-1905

Miles Operated:

Locomotives Owned: 3 known

Equipment:

See also: J. L. Cooley & Co.

Lumber-Mineral Co.

Click Map for Larger Version

History by Gil Hoffman:

The Mount Olive Lumber Company was incorporated at Mount Olive, Covington County, on May 10, 1902, by Frank H. Young, O. D. Haskett, F. A. Whitted, John H. Stuart and R. A. Foote with authorized capital stock of $25,000. Frank H. Young was president. The company owned three mills, all acquired from other companies. The first of these mills was the plant of the Mount Olive Planing Mill Company, at Mount Olive, purchased on May 24, 1902 from F. H. Young who had bought it on April 9, 1902. The company also owned two sawmills near Mount Olive. The first was purchased on December 10, 1902, from J. L. Cooley & Company. This purchase included a logging railroad, locomotive and timber. The second mill was bought on May 15, 1903, from the Leeke Milling Company. A logging railroad and timber also came with this mill, but no locomotives. To finance its ever increasing plant and timber holdings, the capital stock of the company was increased successively on August 13, 1902 to $40,000, on January 17, 1903 to $50,000, and finally, on March 7, 1903, to $75,000.

With all of its mills heavily mortgaged, the company soon found itself in financial trouble. On November 16, 1904, the Federal Court at Jackson, MS, declared the company bankrupt and authorized sale of the remaining assets. The planing mill had already been sold to George D. Sisson, of Indianapolis, Ind., on April 8, 1904. The two sawmill plants, railroads and timber were sold to W. S. F. Tatum, of Hattiesburg, MS, on February 18, 1905. He in turn sold the Leeke mill plant and timber to the Lumber Mineral Company, of Maine, on May 10, 1905.

ROSTER by Gil Hoffman:
36-inch Gauge Locomotives

?                  2T Shay         Lima                        174                      5-1887                     26                    2-7x12                     26000

                                  Purchased from J. L. Cooley & Co., Mt. Olive, MS, on 12-10-02.

Built as Powell Lumber Co. #   , Pocahontas, TN; to Frank Eastman, Tampa, AL; to Tampa Lumber Co., Tampa, AL; to Birmingham Rail & Locomotive Co., Birmingham, AL; to J. L. Cooley & Co., on 1-10-02.

For sale 1-1904.

Sold to S. A. Jones & Son, Columbia, MS, on 10-10-04; repossessed for non-payment and resold to: Bowie Lumber Co., Bowie, MS, on 2-14-06.

Standard Gauge Locomotives

?                  0-4-0T             Baldwin                  5444                    1-1881                     28                    9x12

                                 Purchased from E. P. Burton & Co., Charleston, SC.

Built as North Chicago Steel Co. "Busy Body," Chicago, IL; to E. P. Burton & Co., Charleston, SC.

Sold to Lindsey Wagon Co., Laurel, MS, by 1-1905.

Baldwin class 4-11 C 52

?                  2-6-0               Richmond              1710                    -1887                      36½                10x16                      50000

                                 Purchased from Lott & Perkins Lumber Co., Inda, MS, on 5-10-04. Cost $2,250.

Built as G. W. Wright & Co. # ; to Birmingham Rail & Locomotive Co., Birmingham, AL; to Lott & Perkins, Inda, MS, on 11-20-99.

Sold to W. S. F. Tatum, Arbo, MS on 2-18-05; to Lumber-Mineral Co. #3, Arbo, MS, on

5-10-05; to Southern Iron & Equipment Co. #1533, Atlanta, GA; to E. L. Hendrick Lumber Co. #3, Jackson, MS, on 6-9-20; to Southern Iron & Equipment Co. #1935; to G. W. Fennell, Williams, SC, on 4-29-24; to Southern Iron & Equipment Co. #2174.

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For more information contact Tony Howe at howe6818@bellsouth.net or David S. Price at dsprice46@bellsouth.net

36" wood rail converted to standard gauge at Mt Olive Standard gauge at Arbo Headquarters: Indianapolis, IN Mill Location: Mill No. 1- Sheppard Switch (1 mile S of Mt. Olive), MS (Covington County) Mill No. 2- Arbo, MS (Covington County) Mill Capacity: 25,000 ft/day Years of Operation: 1902-1905 Miles Operated: Locomotives Owned: 3 known	Equipment: See also: J. L. Cooley & Co. Lumber-Mineral Co.	Click Map for Larger Version
History by Gil Hoffman: The Mount Olive Lumber Company was incorporated at Mount Olive, Covington County, on May 10, 1902, by Frank H. Young, O. D. Haskett, F. A. Whitted, John H. Stuart and R. A. Foote with authorized capital stock of $25,000. Frank H. Young was president. The company owned three mills, all acquired from other companies. The first of these mills was the plant of the Mount Olive Planing Mill Company, at Mount Olive, purchased on May 24, 1902 from F. H. Young who had bought it on April 9, 1902. The company also owned two sawmills near Mount Olive. The first was purchased on December 10, 1902, from J. L. Cooley & Company. This purchase included a logging railroad, locomotive and timber. The second mill was bought on May 15, 1903, from the Leeke Milling Company. A logging railroad and timber also came with this mill, but no locomotives. To finance its ever increasing plant and timber holdings, the capital stock of the company was increased successively on August 13, 1902 to $40,000, on January 17, 1903 to $50,000, and finally, on March 7, 1903, to $75,000. With all of its mills heavily mortgaged, the company soon found itself in financial trouble. On November 16, 1904, the Federal Court at Jackson, MS, declared the company bankrupt and authorized sale of the remaining assets. The planing mill had already been sold to George D. Sisson, of Indianapolis, Ind., on April 8, 1904. The two sawmill plants, railroads and timber were sold to W. S. F. Tatum, of Hattiesburg, MS, on February 18, 1905. He in turn sold the Leeke mill plant and timber to the Lumber Mineral Company, of Maine, on May 10, 1905.



ROSTER by Gil Hoffman: 36-inch Gauge Locomotives ? 2T Shay Lima 174 5-1887 26 2-7x12 26000 Purchased from J. L. Cooley & Co., Mt. Olive, MS, on 12-10-02. Built as Powell Lumber Co. # , Pocahontas, TN; to Frank Eastman, Tampa, AL; to Tampa Lumber Co., Tampa, AL; to Birmingham Rail & Locomotive Co., Birmingham, AL; to J. L. Cooley & Co., on 1-10-02. For sale 1-1904. Sold to S. A. Jones & Son, Columbia, MS, on 10-10-04; repossessed for non-payment and resold to: Bowie Lumber Co., Bowie, MS, on 2-14-06. Standard Gauge Locomotives ? 0-4-0T Baldwin 5444 1-1881 28 9x12 Purchased from E. P. Burton & Co., Charleston, SC. Built as North Chicago Steel Co. "Busy Body," Chicago, IL; to E. P. Burton & Co., Charleston, SC. Sold to Lindsey Wagon Co., Laurel, MS, by 1-1905. Baldwin class 4-11 C 52 ? 2-6-0 Richmond 1710 -1887 36½ 10x16 50000 Purchased from Lott & Perkins Lumber Co., Inda, MS, on 5-10-04. Cost $2,250. Built as G. W. Wright & Co. # ; to Birmingham Rail & Locomotive Co., Birmingham, AL; to Lott & Perkins, Inda, MS, on 11-20-99. Sold to W. S. F. Tatum, Arbo, MS on 2-18-05; to Lumber-Mineral Co. #3, Arbo, MS, on 5-10-05; to Southern Iron & Equipment Co. #1533, Atlanta, GA; to E. L. Hendrick Lumber Co. #3, Jackson, MS, on 6-9-20; to Southern Iron & Equipment Co. #1935; to G. W. Fennell, Williams, SC, on 4-29-24; to Southern Iron & Equipment Co. #2174.